Policy adminstration

Report disputes link between claim activity and premiums.

A new report says that rather than rely on investment income, carriers need to invest in core competencies.

Judges say SEC should reconsider controversial ruling that would regulate annuities as securities.

A recent survey shows auto insurance buyers are ready for a change, and depending on the target market, insurers can take action.

Bill details show first hurdle for Tier I firms is just $10B assets

Government Accountability Office's study recommends that a new proposed systemic-risk regulator be specifically tasked with limiting leverage

While the tangible savings to paperless include decreases in postage and paper costs, the fringe benefit for insurers is potentially tapping into the growing eco-friendly customer segment.

A recent survey from John Hancock finds that 66% of employers are afraid of the costs to implement a long-term care plan, and 33% believe it is too time consuming.

Testifying before Congress, association chief urges use of a scalable system to measure risk companies pose.

Aswin Krishnan, Tiffany Reiner and John Vrijmoet will report to SVP Eric Neely.

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank says consumer groups need time to respond to industry arguments against the new agency and efforts to limit its authority.

Consolidating its insurance, wealth and investment units resulted in referrals rising 100% last year, and are up 55% in the first half of 2009.

Insurance executives see the adverse financial climate reflected in their pay packages.

Morgan Stanley got the nod as the official IPO coordinator for American International Group Inc. (AIG), according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. AIG has been busy trying to push through an IPO of American International Assurance Co. Ltd. by early next year, and had selected Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank AG as global coordinators for that offering. As reported in Insurance Networking News, AIG also said last week that it was splitting off American Life Insurance Co., or Alico, in anticipation of a public sale of shares in New York.

Hannover Re, Munich Re and Manulife are just some of the insurers that recently saw ratings actions from A.M. Best.

New York Insurance Department statistics show arrests are down and convictions are up.

In an effort to instill confidence in insured retirement strategies by advocating for the consumer, NAVA has rebranded, immediately becoming the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) http://www.IRIonline.org, now based in Washington, D.C. Along with the name change is a new staff focused on ensuring the insured retirement strategies industry thrives in the future, while protecting the consumers who invest in guaranteed income products such as annuities and promoting the highest ethical standards.

New Orleans-based Pan-American Life Insurance Group has completed the acquisition of USNow, a Plano, Texas-based provider of administration and management of limited medical plans. Since 2006, USNow has been representing Pan-American Life's worksite product line in the United States, and Pan-American Life previously held a 20% ownership stake in the company. USNow had achieved recognition in the insurance industry as the company that pioneered the concept of managed limited medical benefits, providing underinsured/uninsured individuals and corporate employees with access to affordable group health care.

The initial public offering of American Life Insurance Company (ALICO) may be soon at hand. Alico’s parent, New York-based American International Group, Inc. (AIG) says it will accelerate steps to position ALICO as an independent entity.

Some observers think that we are at the beginning of the end of this financial crisis and its consequences while others believe this is just the end of the beginning. Celent has given its thoughts on the impact of the financial crisis on insurers in a report published in September last year: Bad News on the Street: Insurance IT Strategy and the Financial Crisis.